Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF 70.910-900, Brazil.
Exp Parasitol. 2011 Mar;127(3):658-64. doi: 10.1016/j.exppara.2010.12.003. Epub 2010 Dec 19.
The high toxicity of current drugs for treatment of leishmaniasis is a major hindrance for controlling the disease. Pravastatin is a well-known drug with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties that may modulate host defense mechanisms against Leishmania. We evaluated the influence of prolonged pravastatin treatment on the survival of Leishmania amazonensis-infected animals (BALB/c, C57BL6 mice and Syrian hamsters), including weekly measurement of cutaneous lesions (footpad thickness) and weight. Pravastatin improved survival of Leishmania-infected BALB/c mice but not of infected C57BL6 mice or hamsters. On the 50th week of follow-up, 71% of pravastatin-treated Leishmania-infected BALB/c mice were alive against 29% of control group (p<0.01). Low footpad thickness was found on BALB/c pravastatin treated mice from the 14th week (p<0.05), and 20th week onward for C57BL6 treated mice. Pravastatin treatment decreased weight loss in Leishmania-infected C57BL6 mice and Syrian hamsters, but not infected BALB/c mice. Our results points to beneficial effects of pravastatin on the evolution of the disease in the murine leishmaniasis model.
目前用于治疗利什曼病的药物毒性很高，这是控制这种疾病的主要障碍。普伐他汀是一种具有抗炎和免疫调节特性的知名药物，可能调节宿主对利什曼原虫的防御机制。我们评估了长期普伐他汀治疗对感染利什曼原虫的动物（BALB/c、C57BL6 小鼠和叙利亚仓鼠）生存的影响，包括每周测量皮肤损伤（足垫厚度）和体重。普伐他汀改善了感染利什曼原虫的 BALB/c 小鼠的生存，但对感染的 C57BL6 小鼠或仓鼠没有影响。在随访的第 50 周，71%接受普伐他汀治疗的感染利什曼原虫的 BALB/c 小鼠存活，而对照组为 29%（p<0.01）。从第 14 周开始，接受普伐他汀治疗的 BALB/c 小鼠的足垫厚度降低（p<0.05），从第 20 周开始，接受治疗的 C57BL6 小鼠的足垫厚度也降低。普伐他汀治疗减少了感染利什曼原虫的 C57BL6 小鼠和叙利亚仓鼠的体重减轻，但对感染的 BALB/c 小鼠没有影响。我们的结果表明普伐他汀对小鼠利什曼病模型中疾病的演变有有益的影响。
